Sequential 1H-NMR assignment and solution structure of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A

Assignments for 1H-NMR resonances of most of the residues of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease (RNase A) have been obtained by sequence-specific methods. Identification and classification of spin systems have been carried out by two-dimensional phase-sensitive correlated spectroscopy (360 MHz) and single relayed coherence transfer spectroscopy. Sequence-specific assignments have been achieved by phase-sensitive two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy. To overcome the problem of spectral overlap use has been made of (a) an exhaustive analysis of partly exchanged RNase A (spectra in D2O), (b) a comparison with the subtilisin-modified enzyme (RNase S) and (c) small spectral perturbations caused by changes in pH and temperature. The secondary structure elements have been identified from the observed sequential, medium and long-range nuclear Overhauser effects together with data from amide-exchange rates. All information collected leads to the conclusion that the crystal and the solution structures are closely similar.     

Regulation of glycolysis in sea bass liver: phosphofructokinase isozymes

Sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) liver phosphofructokinase (PFK) presents biphasic kinetics with respect to fructose-6-phosphate (F-6-P) in experiments carried out with crude extract. After the enzyme had been purified, two isozymes have been detected after chromatographic treatment. The two isozymes present different kinetic behaviour PFK-L1, the first eluted phosphofructokinase activity shows positive cooperativity with respect to fructose-6-phosphate and PFK-L2, the second activity fraction, has a Hill coefficient of 0.38 (negative cooperativity). The first isozyme shows less affinity for fructose-6-phosphate than that shown by PFK-L2. The joint kinetics of both isozymes produces a biphasic kinetics with respect to fructose-6-phosphate, similar to that observed in crude extracts.     

A proposed bioactive form of peptide T and the design of peptidomimetics

Peptide T is a non-natural octapeptide of sequence Ala-Ser-Thr-Thr-Thr-Asn-Tyr-Thr, taken from the sequence of the protein gp120 of HIV. The peptide has been shown to bind competitively to the CD4 receptors of the helper/inducer lymphocytes T. The peptide is presently used for the treatment of AIDS-associated dementia and has been proven useful for the treatment of psoriasis. Using molecular modeling procedures, we studied the conformational profile of this peptide as well as those of several active and inactive analogs. The analysis of these results gave rise to the proposal of a bioactive conformation of the peptide, which can be described as a pseudo -turn structure, involving the last four residues at the C-terminus of the peptide. The secondary structure is stabilized by a hydrogen bond between the hydroxyl hydrogen of the side chain of Thr⁵ and the carbonyl oxygen of Tyr⁷. From the bioactive form and different structure–activity relationship studies, a pharmacophore was proposed. This hypothesis was used to search on several 3D data bases. One of the hits obtained was the natural compound amigdalin, which was tested and exhibited moderate activity.     

Sirt1 protects from K‐Ras‐driven lung carcinogenesis

The NAD⁺‐dependent deacetylase SIRT1 can be oncogenic or tumor suppressive depending on the tissue. Little is known about the role of SIRT1 in non‐small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), one of the deadliest cancers, that is frequently associated with mutated K‐RAS. Therefore, we investigated the effect of SIRT1 on K‐RAS‐driven lung carcinogenesis. We report that SIRT1 protein levels are downregulated by oncogenic K‐RAS in a MEK and PI3K‐dependent manner in mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs), and in human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Furthermore, Sirt1 overexpression in mice delays the appearance of K‐Ras^G12V‐driven lung adenocarcinomas, reducing the number and size of carcinomas at the time of death and extending survival. Consistently, lower levels of SIRT1 are associated with worse prognosis in human NSCLCs. Mechanistically, analysis of mouse Sirt1‐Tg pneumocytes, isolated shortly after K‐Ras^G12V activation, reveals that Sirt1 overexpression alters pathways involved in tumor development: proliferation, apoptosis, or extracellular matrix organization. Our work demonstrates a tumor suppressive role of SIRT1 in the development of K‐RAS‐driven lung adenocarcinomas in mice and humans, suggesting that the SIRT1–K‐RAS axis could be a therapeutic target for NSCLCs.     

Helix formation by the phospholipase A2 38–59 fragment: Influence of chain shortening and dimerization monitored by nmr chemical shifts

The solution structure of a peptide fragment corresponding to the 38–59 region of porcine phospholipase A₂ has been investigated using CD, nmr chemical shifts, and nuclear over-hauser effects (NOEs). This isolated fragment of phospholipase forms an α-helix spanning residues 38–55, very similar to the one found in the native protein, except for residues 56–58, which were helical in the crystal but found random in solution. Addition of triflouro-ethanol (TFE) merely increased helix population but it did not redefine helix limits. To investigate how the folding information, in particular that concerning eventual helix start and stop signals, was coded in this particular amino acid sequence, the helices formed by synthetic peptides reproducing sections of this phospholipase 38–59 fragment, namely 40–59, 42–59, 38–50, and 45–57, were characterized using NOEs and helix populations quantitatively evaluated on different peptide chain segments using nmr chemical shifts in two solvents (H₂O and 30% TFE/H₂O). A set of nmr spectra was also recorded and assigned under denaturing conditions (6Murea) to obtain reliable values for the chemical shifts of each peptide in the random state. Based on chemical shift data, it was concluded that the helix formed by the phospholipase 38–59 fragment was not abruptly, but progressively, destabilized all along its length by successive elimination of residues at the N end, while the removal of residues at the C end affected helix stability more locally and to a lesser extent. These results are consistent with the idea that there are not single residues responsible for helix initiation or helix stability, and they also evidence an asymmetry for contributions to helix stability by residues located at the two chain ends. The restriction of molecular mobility caused by linking with a disulphide bridge at Cys 51 two identical 38–59 peptide chains did not increase helix stability. The helix formed by the covalently formed homodimer was very similar in length and population to that formed by the monomer. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Physiology, morphology and phenology of seed dormancy break and germination in the endemic Iberian species Narcissus hispanicus (Amaryllidaceae)

Background and Aims

Only very few studies have been carried out on seed dormancy/germination in the large monocot genus Narcissus. A primary aim of this study was to determine the kind of seed dormancy in Narcissus hispanicus and relate the dormancy breaking and germination requirements to the field situation.

Methods

Embryo growth, radicle emergence and shoot growth were studied by subjecting seeds with and without an emerged radicle to different periods of warm, cold or warm plus cold in natural temperatures outdoors and under controlled laboratory conditions.

Key Results

Mean embryo length in fresh seeds was approx. 1·31 mm, and embryos had to grow to 2·21 mm before radicle emergence. Embryos grew to full size and seeds germinated (radicles emerged) when they were warm stratified for 90 d and then incubated at cool temperatures for 30 d. However, the embryos grew only a little and no seeds germinated when they were incubated at 9/5, 10 or 15/4 °C for 30 d following a moist cold pre-treatment at 5, 9/5 or 10 °C. In the natural habitat of N. hispanicus, seeds are dispersed in late May, the embryo elongates in autumn and radicles emerge (seeds germinate) in early November; however, if the seeds are exposed to low temperatures before embryo growth is completed, they re-enter dormancy (secondary dormancy). The shoot does not emerge until March, after germinated seeds are cold stratified in winter.

Conclusion

Seeds of N. hispanicus have deep simple epicotyl morphophysiological dormancy (MPD), with the dormancy formula C_1bB(root) – C₃(epicotyl). This is the first study on seeds with simple MPD to show that embryos in advanced stages of growth can re-enter dormancy (secondary dormancy).     

Immunochemical Characterization of Temperature-Regulated Production of Enterocin L50 (EntL50A and EntL50B), Enterocin P, and Enterocin Q by Enterococcus faecium L50

Polyclonal antibodies with specificity for enterocin L50A (EntL50A), enterocin L50B (EntL50B), and enterocin Q (EntQ) produced by Enterococcus faecium L50 have been generated by immunization of rabbits with chemically synthesized peptides derived from the C terminus of EntL50A (LR1) and EntL50B (LR2) and from the complete enterocin Q (EntQ) conjugated to the carrier protein keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). The sensitivity and specificity of these antibodies were evaluated by a noncompetitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (NCI-ELISA) and a competitive indirect ELISA (CI-ELISA). The NCI-ELISA was valuable for detecting anti-EntL50A-, anti-EntL50B-, and anti-EntQ-specific antibodies in the sera of the LR1-KLH-, LR2-KLH-, and EntQ-KLH-immunized animals, respectively. Moreover, these antibodies and those specific for enterocin P (EntP) obtained in a previous work (J. Gutiérrez, R. Criado, R. Citti, M. Martín, C. Herranz, M. F. Fernández, L. M. Cintas, and P. E. Hernández, J. Agric. Food Chem. 52:2247-2255, 2004) were used in an NCI-ELISA to detect and quantify the production of EntL50A, EntL50B, EntP, and EntQ by the multiple-bacteriocin producer E. faecium L50 grown at different temperatures (16 to 47°C). Our results show that temperature has a strong influence on bacteriocin production by this strain. EntL50A and EntL50B are synthesized at 16 to 32°C, but production becomes negligible when the growth temperature is above 37°C, whereas EntP and EntQ are synthesized at temperatures ranging from 16 to 47°C. Maximum EntL50A and EntL50B production was detected at 25°C, while EntP and EntQ are maximally produced at 37 and 47°C, respectively. The loss of plasmid pCIZ1 (50 kb) and/or pCIZ2 (7.4 kb), encoding EntL50A and EntL50B as well as EntQ, respectively, resulted in a significant increase in production and stability of the chromosomally encoded EntP.